Baylor Soccer wins first of the year, thrashes North Dakota State 4 - 0
After a slow start on Thursday in Minnesota, the Baylor Soccer team knew what they needed to do in Fargo on Sunday.
They came out ready to go and dominated the Bison from the opening whistle.
The starting midfield of Maddie Algya, Ally Henderson-Ashkinos and Gabby Mueller worked hard pressing the Bison and winning every 50/50 ball.
Their hard work created lots of opportunities in transition for the Bears with Maddie Algya putting home the opening goal about 5 minutes in.
Mueller won the ball around midfield and fed Taylor Moon at the top of the box. Moon played the ball out to the right for Algya who put her shot across the goalie for the early lead.
The Bears kept the pressure up and ten minutes later Taylor Moon doubled the lead.
Mueller dinked a ball over the Bison defense, allowing Moon to run onto it and size the goalie up before chipping it right over her outstretched hands. 2 - 0.
The Bison upped the physicality in an attempt to level the playing field, with one forward delivering a hard tackle on Chloe Japic. The forward left with a yellow card and Japic had to leave the field for the day.
With about five minutes left in the half Kooiman, making her first start of the year, put a dangerous cross in from the left. The NDSU goalie struggled to get a hand on it and the ball spilled free in front of goal. Ally Henderson-Ashkinos raced in and slotted the ball into the goal, bringing the Baylor lead to 3 - 0.
Haven Terry came on and kept pressing on offense for Baylor, but they ended the first half at up by three.
If Bison fans were hoping for a comeback, the Bears put that idea to bed with barely two minutes gone in the second half.
Kooiman played a long-ball up the left side from around midfield. Mack Anthony, making her first start since returning from injury, ran onto the well-weighted pass, calmly rounded the goal and passed the ball into the back of the net.
With their lead now at 4 - 0, the Bears kept control of the game and slowly started subbing starters out. Taylor Moon was pulled with about 15 minutes left, plus Maddie Algya and Jennifer Wandt left with around 10 minutes left.
The Bison did threaten the Bears goal a couple of times as the game finished out. Backup keeper Alyssa Navarrette, a graduate transfer from Georgetown, was tested in some hectic scrambles. Between herself and Ava Colberg, they were able to protect the shutout.
Lorelai Stramrood (#3 Def.) and Kate Zimmerman(#26 Def.) also made their Baylor debuts in Fargo.
Overall, the Bears controlled the game well and showed up early, correcting the biggest mistake from their outing against Minnesota on Thursday.
WOTM: Maddie Algya - All three midfielders were great today, but Algya scored the winner so that gives her the nod here.
Up Next: Nebraska (Thu. 8/26 7PM) - The home opener at Betty Lou Mays Field!